Position adjusting device for furniture or the like



Sept. 8, 1953 P. BILLET ET AL 2,651,055

POSITION ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR FURNITURE OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 30. 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L... l ATTORNEY.

S'SPL 8, 1953 P. BILLET ET AL 2,651,055

POSITION ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR FURNITURE OR IHE LIKE 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed DeC. 30. 1949 IN VEN TOR5 A PH/l. /P BILLET /R V/NG l E V Y.

Patented Sept. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PoslT'ioNADJUs'rING Davids Fon FURNITURE R THE LIKE This invention relates generally to position adjusting devices for relatively displaceable' parts, and more particularly for articles of furniture. or the like, wherein it is desired to swingabl'y raise and lower one part thereof relative to another part thereof, and more specically to mechanism for maintaining the swinga'ble part in a desired inclined position intermediate en; treme upper and lower positions. This invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with' couches, sofas, beds, seats brackets, chairs, physicians" or other' tables, or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a position adjusting mechanism. Y

Another object of this invention is to provide a position adjustingmechanism for va. swingable part of an article of furniture, and for securing the swingable part at any angular position intermediate extreme upper and lower positions' thereof.

A further object ofv the present invention is 'to provide, in an article of furniture, or' the like, having one part thereof adapted to beV swung to an inclinedv position relative to another nxed: part thereof, mechanism for maintaining the swingable part in a desired inclined position intermediate extreme upper and lower positions; the mechanism including a pair of longitudinally telescoping members pivotally' secured at theop-V posite ends thereof to the swingable" and flied parts of the article of furniture, and' means said members' automatically maintaining the members in extended' position to thereby prevent lowering of the swingable part` after they latter has been raised to a position intermediate the extreme upper and lower'positions thereof.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable supporting devicev fora swing'- able part of an article of furniture wherein the swingable part must nrst be raised to the extreme upper position and then depressed tov the extreme lower position before the swingable part may beadjusted and maintained in a' desired intermediate position. y

With the foregoing" and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides inY the combinationand arrangement of partsVv and in the details of' construction hereinafter described andclaimed, it being understood that various changes and" modi'- cations may be resortedl to without departing from the spirit or4 scope of the invention as deiined in the claims, andv without sacriiicing the advantages thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of an article of furniture having aV swingable part and' including a position adjusting device: therefor, with the 2 s'wingableV part show-n in depressed or extreme lower position;

Figure 2 is? a view' similar to that in Figure l, with the s wingable part shown in elevated or raised position;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a position adjusting device constructedaccording to this invention in a position just before extreme lower position;

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the position adjusting device in the position illustrated in Fig. 3*;

Figure 5 isa side elevational View of the position adjusting device in the position shown in Figure 3, but viewing the opposite side of the device;

l Figure 6 isl a rear elevational view of the position adjusting' device the position illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 7 isa front elevational view of the position adjusting device in extreme depressed or lowered position;

Figure 8 is a front elevational View, showing thelposit'on adjusting device in extreme elevated or raised position;

Figure 9' is an exploded view oi the several elements comprising the position adjusting device;

Figure- 10`5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line H12-Hl of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary front elevational view, partly broken away, showing the braking elements positioned within the position adjusting device;

Figure 1'2' i'sa planview off a spring element form-ing a part of the device; and

Figure 13'- is a' horilzonta'l sectional Viewv taken on `the line I3L-Il3 of'l Figure 8'.

Referring tothe dra-wings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts, a couch i is: illustrated in Figures l and 2 andy embodies a position adjusting dev-ice' constructed according to this invention. While the invention is shown incorporated a couch, it should be understood that it' isladapted touse withany article of furniture, or the" like, having relatively movable parts.

The couch fr includes a -x'ed portion l sup'- portedupon the leg members i2. A head rest |31l isv pivotally mountedi adjacent the head end of the iixed portion i' I- byth'e pins le'. En Figure 11,. the hea-d:` rest te' is shown in the depressed or extreme lower position. In' Figure 2, the head rest I3 isl shown at anv intermediate inclined position relative to the Xed portion Hf. The head rest |232 is supported in the position illustrated by Figure 2' by the position adjusting device, generally indicated bythe reference numeral I5, which'v isf interposed between the movable support I6, forming part of the head rest I3, and the xed support I1, forming part of the xed portion I I.

The position adjusting device I5, the elements of which are shown in the exploded view of Figure 9, includes an elongated channel member I8 having a hinge plate I9 secured to the back surface at the top end thereof by the fastenings 20 which may be spot welding, bolts, rivets, or any other like securing means. A complementary hinge plate 2| is pivotally connected to the plate I9 by the hinge pin 22, and is secured to the movable support I6 by the screws 23, shown in Figures 8 and 10.

A flexible brake band 24, preferably formed of resilient metal, is disposed within the channel I8 and extends along the length of the latter. The band 24 has the opposite ends thereof secured by spot-welding, or the like, to the opposite side walls 25 and 26 of the channel I8, as at 21.

The channel I8 includes the inwardly directed flanges 28 and 29 extending along the forward edges of the side walls 25 and 26 respectively, as seen in Figures 1l and 13. The oppositely disposed wedge shaped brake members, or shoes, 30 and 3| are slidably disposed within the channel I8 on opposite sides of the band 24, and are formed to be capable of slight lateral play and retained within the channel by the overlying flanges 28 and 29. The brake shoes 38 and 3| are formed with bosses 32 and 33, respectively, extending outwardly between the inner edges of the flanges 28 and 29.

A resilient spring member 34 is bent to provide loops 35 and 35 at the opposite ends thereof, which loops engage over the bosses 32 and 33 respectively and urge the shoes 30 and 3| longitudinally together. The spring 34 will urge the confronting inclined surfaces of the shoes 38 and 3| against the opposite sides of the band 24, and will also urge the shoes 30 and 3| laterally into frictional engagement with the side walls 25 and 2B respectively of the channel I8. An elongated spring retaining plate 31 is formed with elongated slots 38 and 39 adjacent the opposite ends thereof, and is positioned on top of the spring 34 with the bosses 32 and 33 loosely extending through the slots 38 and 39.

A second relatively short channel member 48 includes a web 4I and right angularly disposed side flanges 42 and 43 extending along the longitudinal edges thereof. The lower end of the web 4I is looped in a direction opposite to that of the side flanges to form a portion 44 of a hinge pivot. A hinge plate 45 is pivotally connected to the portion 44 by a hinge pin 48 extending therethrough. The hinge plate 45 is provided with the openings 41 through which fastening screws 48 extend for connection to the xed support I1, as seen in Figure 8. The channel member 40 is slidably disposed upon the channel member I8 with the web 4I of the former overlying the flanges 28 and 29 of the latter, and with the flanges 42 and 43 of channel 4I extending adjacent to the side walls 25 and 26 of the channel I 8.

inwardly directed tabs 49 and 50 are formed on the flanges 42 and 43, adjacent the lower ends thereof, as seen in Figure 6, and overlie the back of the channel I8 for preventing lateral displacement of the bottom portion of the channel L40 relative to the channel I8.

The web 4I, of channel 40, is provided with an enlarged opening I through which the boss 32 of brake shoe 30 loosely extends so that the shoe 38 is movable relative to the channel member 40.

4 The web 4I is also formed with a relatively small opening 52 receiving the boss 33 of the brake shoe 3 I. The engagement between the opening 52 and the boss 33 is relatively close, so that, the brake shoe 3| is not movable with respect to the channel 40.

A cam member 53, having an opening 54 for receiving the boss 32, is rockably mounted upon the latter against he web 4I. The boss 32 is formed with a threaded bore 55 threadably receiving the headed fastening member 56 for securing the cam member 53 thereto. The cam member 53 is formed with an inclined cam surface 51 for engagement in one position with the struck out lug 58 formed on the web 4I of the channel 40. A laterally bent arm 59 extends from a side edge of the cam member 53 parallel to the side flange 42 of the channel 4D.

A plate 60, having an oir-set laterally extending stop member 6 I is secured to the central part of the back face of the channel I8, at the lower portion of the latter, by spot welding 82, or the like. The portion of plate 60 secured to channel I8 has a width which is substantially smaller than the gap between the tabs 49 and 5D provided on the channel 40 for embracing the channel I8, as seen in Fig. 13. Further, the stop member 6| is offset from the portion of the plate 60 secured to the channel I8 by a distance which is greater than the thickness of the tabs 49 and 58. Thus, as the channel I8 slides within the channel 4U, the plate 60 and stop member 6I clear the tabs 49 and 50 and the latter do not interfere with such relative movement of thev channels.

In operation, the hinge plates 2| and 45 are secured to the movable and fixed supports I6 and I1, respectively. The swingable part I3 of the article of furniture is then moved upwardly which will result in upward movement of the channel I8 relative to the channel 40. The brake member or shoe 3| will be held by the channel 40 which will cause the shoes 3| and 30 to separate, since the connection therebetween is by the spring member 34, and the shoe 38, frictionally engaging the channel I8, will tend to move upwardly with the latter. The separation of the brake shoes will result in relaxation of the frictional engagement of these members with the band 24 and the sides 25 and 26 of the channel I8, thus permitting the raising movement of the portions I3 of the couch.

When the lower extreme portion of the channel I8 has been moved into the channel 40, brought about by the head rest I3 being raised to the extreme upper position or extension Aa, the stop member 6I will engage the arm. 59 of the cam member 53 and rock the latter to engage the cam surface or edge 51 with the projection 58 on the channel 40, as seen in Figure 8. Such engagement will support the wedge 30 and hold the latter away from the wedge 3| to thereby permit the movement of the channel I8 relative to the channel 40 in either direction, that is, either upwardly or downwardly. In this condition, the position adjusting device I5 will not support the head rest I3.

In order to place the device in operative condition, the headrest I3 is lowered to the extreme lower position shown in Figure 1. Figures 3-6 show the position of the cam member 53 at the instant contact is effected between the arm 59 of the cam member and the lower edge of the hinge plate I9 fixed to the channel I8. When the headrest is in extreme lower position, see

Figure '7, the distance between the hinge plates 2| and 45 will be reduced to the dimension A and the hinge plate I9 will rock the arm 59 and the cam member 53 for dsengaging the cam edge 5l from 4 the projection 58. When the cam 53 is free of the projection 58, the spring 3d will urge the brake shoes 3i! and 3l together into braking position.

In this latter condition, the channel I8 may still be moved upwardly relative to channel 49, that is, the head rest mayr be raised. However, when the head rest is raised to an intermediate position, such as that 4shown in Figure 2, the position adjusting device i5 will prevent vany downward swinging of the head rest from that selected position. Downward pressure upon the head rest I3 will only tend to wedge the brake shoes 3U and 3l more securely against the band 24 and the side walls 25 and 26. Having once selected an intermediate position, adjustment to a lower intermediate position can only be achieved by nrst raising the head rest to the upper extreme position to engage the stops Si against the arm 59 for rocking the cam member 53 to brake releasing position, as described above, then lowering the head rest to lower extreme position for once again setting the brake shoes, and nally raising the head rest to the desired degree of inclination.

Having thus described and illustrated an embodiment or our invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A position adjusting device for relatively movable parte comprising an elongated channel member, a receiving member slidably receiving said channel member, an elongated brake band disposed in said channel member with the opposite ends oi said band secured to the latter, a pair of oppositely disposed wedge shaped brake members in said channel member with said band positioned between the confronting faces of said brake members, one of said brake members being xed relative to said receiving member, spring means connecting said pair of brake members and adapted to urge said brake members longitudinally towards each other for frictional engagement with said band and the side walls of said channel member, rockable means carried by the other of said brake members and engageable with said receiving member for longitudinally separating said brake members to thereby permit longitudinal movement of said channel member relative to said receiving member, means on said channel member adjacent one end thereof adapted to engage said rockable means for rocking the latter into engagement with said receiving member thereby effecting longitudinal separation of the brake members, and means on said channel member adjacent the other end thereof adapted to engage said rockable means for freeing the latter from said receiving member to permit said spring means to urge said brake members longitudinally towards each other.

2. A position adjusting device for a pair of relatively movable parts comprising an elongated channel member adapted to be connected to one or said parts, a receiving member slidably receiving said channel member and adapted to be connected to the other of said parts, an elongated brake band disposed in said channel member and having the ends thereof secured to the opposite side walls of said channel member, a pair o'f oppositely disposed wedge shaped brake members in said channel member with said band member whereby said channel member willr beV slidable only in 'one direction relative to said receiving member; a projection formed upon said receiving member, a rockable cam member carriedb'y' the othero" said brake members adapted in one position thereof to engage said projection and longitudinally separate said brake members to thereby permit movement of said channel member in either direction, means on said channel member adjacent said one end thereof engageable with said cam member and adapted to rock the latter into engagement with said projection, and means on the other end of said channel member engageable with said cam member and adapted to rock the latter out of engagement with said projection.

3. In an article of furniture or the like having one part thereof swingable to an inclined position relative to another part thereof; mechanism for maintaining said one part in a selected inclined position intermediate extreme upper and lower positions comprising a pair of members slidable longitudinally relative to each other, a brake band extending along one of said members and having the opposite ends thereof secured to the latter, a pair of brake members on opposite sides of said band, spring means connecting said brake members and adapted to urge said brake members together into frictional engagement with said band and said one slidable member, one of said brake members being secured to the other of said relatively slidable members, a roclrable brake releasing member carried by the other of said brake members and engageable with said other relatively slidable member in one rocked position for separating said brake members, and means on said one of said relatively slidable members adjacent the opposite ends thereof engageable with said brake releasing member for rocking the latter into brake setting and brake releasing position, respectively.

4. In an article of furniture or the like having one part thereof swingable to an inclined position relative to another part thereof; mechanism for maintaining said one part in a selected inclined position intermediate extreme upper and lower positions comprising an elongated channel member, hinge means on one end of said channel member for connection to said one part, a receiving member slidably receiving said channel member and having hinge means thereon for connection to said other part, a brake band disposed in said channel member and eX- tending the length thereof, means iixing the opposite ends of said band to the opposite side walls of said channel member, a pair of oppositely disposed wedge shaped brake members in said channel member on opposite sides of said band, spring means connecting said brake members and adapted to urge the latter together for frictional engagement with said band .and the side walls of said channel member, means on one of said brake members connecting said one brake member to said receiving member, a projection on said receiving member, a cam member rockably carried by the otherof said brake members and adapted to engage said projection for separating said brake members to permit movement of said channel member in either direction, an arm extending from said cam member, and a stop on said channel member adjacent the other end thereof and engageable with said arm for rocking said cam member into engagement with said projection for separating said brake members, said hinge means on said channel member being engageable with said arm for rocking said cam member out of engagement with said projection.

PHILIP BILLET.

IRVING LEVY.

References Cited in the 111e of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Simpson Dec. 6, 1938 Deal July 10, 1945 Holm Jan. 8, 1946 Deal Sept. 12, 1950 Deal Nov. 13, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland Feb. 1, 1928 Austria Apr. 26, 1937 

